Trick telephone.



PATENTED JULY 10, 1906.

J. W. TRIGKETT. TRICK TELEPHONE.

APPLIOATION run]: mm: 30. 1904.

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PATENTED JULY 10, 1906.

J. W. TRICKETT. TRICK TELEPHONE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20. 1904.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 10,1906.

Application filed June 30,1904- Serial No. 214,757.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. TRIOKETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trick Telephones, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved trick telephone, and has for its objects the provision of a simple substantial instrument for surprise and amusement and from the use of which no material damage can occur to persons or property. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section cut vertically through the back, the battery-box, and push-buttons, and a rear elevation of mechanism as the parts appear in position for setting and loading. Fig. 2 is a rear view of instrument, showing parts of mechanism in position after discharging, certain parts being broken away to avoid obscurity. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of certain parts and a longitudinal section cut vertically through the center of mock transmitter-case and ejector therein. Fig. 4 is a top plan of my invention, showing parts in position as seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the tube or barrel and its attached parts. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of parts seen in Fig. 2 and also arear view of a mechanical trigger-pull. Fig. 7 is aview of one of the various harmless mis siles which may be used.

The preferred form of my invention in its outward appearance is made as nearly an exact duplicate of the telephone instrument now most generally in use as is practicable, consisting of a back-piece 1, to which is secured the false back 2, having openings 3 and 4 in the false back 2, to which is hinged the pivot-board 5 by hinges 6 and 7. Pivotboard 5 rotates on hinges 6 and 7 and carries an electrically-released spring-actuated discharging mechanism for discharging a cartridge 33, a transmitter-case 23, in which is an electrically-released spring-actuated ejector-tube 22 for ejecting a harmless missile 25, and a magneto-case 50, on which an electrically-operated alarm-bell 43 is mounted. Pivot-board 5 also carries a pivotally-attached spring-actuated hooked bracket 17, from the free end of which is removably suspended the mock receiver 16, the weight of which depresses the free end of said bracket onto electrode 20 for closing at this point the hereinaftendescribed alarm-circuit.

When mock receiver 16 is removed from bracket 17, lifting-spring 18 draws bracket 17 from electrode 20 upward against electrode 44, thus closing the hereinafter-described releasing-circuit, as seen in Figs. 2 and 6. To the false back 2 (see Fig. 1) is attached (in any usual well-known manner) the batteryboX 8, containing battery 9, provided with electric conductors for an alarm-circuit and a releasing-circuit and a push-button 10.

Referring to Fig. 6, the hereinbefore-mentioned discharging mechanism is composed of the following parts: the tube or barrel 34, adapted to receive cartridge 33, a breechblock 32, pivotally secured to barrel 34 by pivot 32 and rotatable from position seen in Fig. 5 to position seen in Fig. 6 for allowing insertion into and the retention of cartridge 33 in barrel 34, a firing-pin 32*, slidable in and carried by breech-block 32, the gunhammer 26 pivotally attached at 26 to pivotboard 5, the driving-rod 29 slidable on and guided by screw-stud 30, two actuatingsprings 31, having their lower extremities attached to said rod 29 and their upper extremities secured at 31 to pivot-board 5. The upper end of rod 29 is pivotally attached to hammer 26, thus forming a spring-actuated hammer 26 for striking firing-pin 32*, Which completes the firing mechanism.

Referring to Fig. 1, the electrical releasing mechanism of the before-described firin mechanism is composed of latch 27, adapte to engage and releasably hold the free end of gun-hammer 26, the trigger 28 releasably supporting the weighted extremity of said latch 27 and their respective pivots 28 and 27*, by which said trigger 28 and latch 27 are secured to pivot-board 5, together with the following parts: an electromagnet 46 for rotating trig ger 28 from position seen in Fig. 1 to osition seen in Fig. 2, a battery 9 for energizing said magnet, the electric conductors, wire 47, electrode 44, bracket 17 (when in position seen in Figs. 2 and 6,) pivot 19, wire 41, hinge 7, wire 42, wire 14, push-button 10, wire 15, hinge 6, and wire 45, for forming releasingcircuit from battery 9 through magnet 46 upon the closing of said circuit by pressing push-button 10.

Referring to Fig. 3, in transmitter-case 23 is slidably mounted the ejector-tube 22, having a flange 22, which is releasably engaged 1 10 by the lower extremity of rod 29. 35 designates a plunger-rod slidably mounted in tube 22 and flange 22 and abutting against back-piece 1 at its rear end. 35 designates a plunger-spring compressed between the front end of plunger-rod 35 and a fiXed partition 22 in tube 22 for actuating ejectortube 22 In the front end portion of tube 22 is seen a harmless missile 25, preferably common white flour, and on tube 22 the removable perforated cap or cover 24 for releasably retaining missile 25 in place. At 22 is seen the inner tube-guide, which also acts as a stop for flange 22 23 is the ordinarybell-mouth of transmitter-case 23.

When firing mechanism is electrically released, rod 29 is drawn u ward by spring 31 and the lower end of ro 29 is carried above and from engagement with flange 22 on tube 22, thus releasing said tube, which by spring 35*, compressed by plungererod 35,

will elastically press against partition 22 driving tube 22 outward until suddenly stopped by flange 22 striking against inner tube-guide 22, upon which the inertia of powder or harmless missile 25 will cause the same to be ejected through perforated cover 24 from tube 22 through ell-mouth23 The before-mentioned electrically operated alarm mechanism is composed of the bell 43, its hammer-carrying armature 37, electromagnet 39, and battery 9 for energizing ele'ctromagnet 39 together with the following electric conductors: wire 36, hinge 6, wire 15, push-button 10, wire 14, wire 42, hinge 7, wire 41, pivot 19, bracket 17 (when in position seen in Fig. 1,) electrode 20, wire 40, wire 38, and armature 37, the whole arranged, as seen in Fig. 1, to act as an ordinary electricbell alarm upon pressing push-button .10.

In Fig; 3, 21 designates the fastening for securing the free edge of pivot-board 5 to ba'ck pi'ece 1.

In Fi s. 3 and 4 is seen the. idle crank 48, the rotation of which an electrically-operated alarm may be giventhe deceptive appearance of b'ein sounded by a crank-operated magneto ca 1. Telephone-cords 49 are used for deception. In the installation of my invention back-piece 1 is releasably secured to the wall of a room or any similar fixed support. Electric conductors 12 and 13, preferably hidden, are secured to conductors 14 and l5and extended to any desired distant fixed object 18 .and connected with the hereto-attached push-button 11, after which the instrument is ready for setting and loading. r

. The operation of the device is as follows: The operator places mock receiver 16 upon bracket 17 releases fastening 21, and rotates pivot-board 5 on hinges 6 and 7 to the position seen in Figs. 1 and 4, carrying the before-mentioned parts into convenient position for setting and loading. The operator first withdraws ejector-tube 22 from trans nutter-case 23, removes preferably-perforated cap or cover 24, (seen in Fig. 3,) and inserts common white flour or other harmless substance'25 to the position seen, replaces cap 24 and ejector-tube 22 in position in transmitter-case 23, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4, w1th the rear end of plunger-rod 35 projecting backward beyond flange 22 as best seen in Fig. 4. The operator now grasps gun-hammer 26 and rotates said hammer on its pivot 26 from the position seen in Fig. 2 to the position seen in Fig. 1, then rotates, latch 27 onits pivot 27, into engagement with hammer 26, upon which the trigger 28 will by gravity rotate on its pivot 28 to the position seen in Fig. 1. 7 Hammer 26 will in its downward travel drive its pivotally-attached rod 29 to the position seen in Fig. 1 and elastically 6X- tend the two springs 31. After the foregoing setting operation the operator rotates breechblock 32 to the position seen in Fig. 5, inserts a blank cartridge 33 in barrel 34, and allows breech-block 32 to gravitate to position seen in Fig. 1, after which the operator rotates pivotrboard 5 on hinges 6 and 7 from position seenin Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 until said board 5 and its attached parts are in position seen in Figs. 2 and 3. In the before-described rotation of pivot-board 5, on its hinges 6 and 7 the projecting rear end of plunger-rod 35 (see Fig. 4) is carried to and stopped by its abutment tation of pivot-board, 5 tube 22 is carried to the position seen in Fig. 3, compressingplungar-spring 35 between partition 22 and plunger-rod 35. The free edge of pivotboard 5 is secured to false back 2 by fastening 21, upon which the setting and loading operations are complete, and the instrument is ready for use to harmlessly surprise a person, (not shown,) and whom I shall for brevity call the victim, and by such surprise of said victim amuse the operator and other he holders. 11, sounding alarm-bell 43, upon which the operator (not shown) lifts receiver 16 from bracket 17, indulges in a mock telephonic conversation into the mouthpiece 23 of transmitter-case 23, and afterward calls the victim by name to the instrument, hands said victim the mock receiver 16, then goes to distantpush-b'utton 11, and while said victim is vainly trying to receive a telephonic message by holding mock receiver to his ear and shouting into transmitter-mouthpiece 23 the operator presses distant push-button 11., closing the before-described release-circuit,

It is evident from the foregoing that the operator may while sounding alarm-bell 43 simultaneously rotate idle "crank 48 afndappear to be operating a magneto call instrument or that while the victim is holding mock receiver 16 off bracket 17 that therelease-circuit, as described, may be closed by The operator presses push-button against back-piece 1 and by the continued ropressing push-button 10. It is also evident that any number of suitably-located and connected push-buttons 11 could be used and that a mechanically-operated pull 51, or both, (see Fig. 6,) upon trigger 28 could be used Without departing from the spirit of my invention, or that an elastic ball 53, (see Fig. 7,) light of weight, or other harmless missile could be inserted in the uncapped outer end of tube 22 and be equivalent to powder 25, all of which I reserve the right to do.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and original, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a trick telephone a hinge-supported pivot-board, having a pivotally-attached receiver-bracket, an electrode, a release-circuit, a spring for lifting the free end of said bracket into contact with said electrode, thereby forming a releasing-circuit, an electric battery in said circuit and suitably-situated means for closing said. circuit, a barrel adapted to hold a cart-rid 'e, a breech-block pivotally attached to said arrel, a firing-pin in said breech-block, a hammer pivotally attached to said pivot-board and adapted to strike said firing-pin upon the closure of said circuit, a driving-rod pivotally attached to said hammer, actuating-springs for said rod, a latch pivotally attached to said pivotboard, having one extremity releasably engaging the free end of said hammeratrigger having one end pivotally attached to said pivot-board and its free end releasably engaging the other end of said latch, and an electromagnet in said circuit adapted to draw the free end of said trigger from en agement with said latch, upon the closing of said circuit.

2. In a trick telephone, an ejector-tube having its forward end adapted to receive a harmless missile, and its rear extremity provided with a flange, a retaining-rod in releasable engagement at its lower extremity With said flange; a fixed partition in said tube, a spring adapted to press against said partition in said tube; a back-piece, a plunger-rodhaving its rear end abutted against said backpiece and its front end compressing said spring, means for lifting said retaining-rod from said engagement with said flange and a stgp for suddenly stopping said flange, and tu .e.

3. In a trick telephone, a magneto-case, an electric bell mounted on said case, an electric battery for sounding said bell, suitable conductors and a gravitatable switch, whereby an alarm-circuit is formed through said battery and electric bell, when said switch is in one position, and one or more circuit-closers for said alarm-circuit a detonating mechanism, an ejecting mechanism, means for holding and electric means for releasing said mechanisms,when said switch is in its other position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN W. TRICKETT.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. HINToN, ALFRED P. KELLER. 

